What's for dinner tonight?

Hmmm Hmmm those sound FANTASTIC. I have gotta try them all! I did used to love Tuna melts when I was a kid..

Here's mine for Mac & Cheese:

Butter, flour, milk, salt, pepper, paparika, mild cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and elbow macaroni.

Boil elbow macaroni as directions say on whatever brand you use.

(In this I don't really use measurements, I go by eye and taste. I have been cooking since I was 10 so I just acquired a knack for that over the years).

In a saucepan melt butter, pour in flour and stir to make a rue, then slowly pour in milk. Stir until smooth, then add cheeses slowly and melt all the way down until the mixture is well incorportated and melted together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drain elbow macaroni very very well. Put macaroni in a large bowl. Then slowly poor cheese mixture over the macaroni and with a large spoon in order to coat each noodle. The pour mac and cheese in a dish of some sort (I use a typical glass square casserole dish). Spread it out evenly, and then put more shreaded cheese on top (as much to your liking). Then spinkle paparika over it.. not a lot.. just enough to give off a nice red-orange color.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30-40 mins or until top cheese is completely melted and a nice golden brown effect is on top.

It's simple but the taste is fantastic. Sometimes I like to use mozzarella cheese in there as well.. it's very good.

Missy

For dinner tonight I made: Herb and garlic grilled chicken breasts, macaroni and cheese, spinach salad, and wheat bread. And boy was it tasty!

Missy

OH MY GOODNESS I don't have to go to the website at all I KNOW RACHEL! I love that girl. Rachel Ray is an awesome cook! I watch 30 minute meals as much as I can.. which is often.. she made this chicken, broccoli, riccotta cheese, and sun dried tomatoes pizza once that looked incredible.. she said the recipe was actually something Trip (her boyfriend) can up with one night at her house.. I want to try it so bad but I haven't gotten the chance..

Her meals are sooooo easy, nutritious, but overall DELICIOUS! And I love her easy approach to what some cooks seem to make so complicated on tv. She's even got me using the garbage bowl idea.. LOL!

She's E-V-O-O- crazy.. just like me. I can't use enough olive oil... LOL!

Missy

I am actually going to attempt making Salmon tonight for my dinner.. Salisbury Steaks for my husband's dinner because he will NEVER eat any fish.. he hates it!

I am not the biggest fan of fish either.. but I remember I liked Salmon cakes as a little girl.. so I figured I would try Salmon again so I purchased a nice cut of it, but I am going to grill it with but marinade it first in some herbs then make a Rosemary butter sauce for it. I will let you know how it turns out.

Not sure about the side dishes yet, but I know I am having a salad.. garden salad that is..

I will probably just make rice for my husband with his salisbury steaks.. he LOVES rice pilaf.. and a green bean casserole.

Missy

Oh my goodness, Miss Shelby..the salmon was fantastic. I marinaded it in dill, rosemary, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon herb seasoning. I marinaded it for half hour and then grilled it skin side down.

Oh my goodness it was fantastic.. then I made a lemon & rosemary butter sauce for it.. and poured it on top of the salmon. It was incredible! And I don't even like fish.. well I don't like fish but I like salmon now!! Hee hee.. isn't salmon a fish.. duh! LOL!

But it was just so good..I was really surprised because it looked and smelled good while it was grilling but I was thinking, "Yeah but how will it taste..!" And my goodness it was good. And I learned in a book I own that it is EXTREMELY good for you. It lowers cholesterol because of these Omega fats in it.. I was like wow.. tastes good and healthy! I had grilled only 2 pieces..they were nice cuts though but I was sorry I only purchased the two cuts because I wanted more for another time! Guess I have to get to the market for more salmon!!!

Oh Miss Shelby..about a week okay on Rachel Ray's show she had these things called meatloaf patties...did you see how she made them ? I turned it on late and she was just turning them over in the frying pan..doggonit!

Oh do you watch Iron Chefs ? I LOOOOOOOOOOVE that show..they take the strangest things sometimes and they make these elaborate dishes.. pretty neat..it's like a cooking contest.. awesome show..but man they have used eel, some sort of belly of something, these weird huge fish, shark, all sort of strange things.. but sometimes they use something as simple as pork. Depends on what this one very rich and eclectic (sp ?) man picks.

Have you seen this show ?

Missy

Oh yes, Miss Shelby you have got to try that salmon. If it got someone like me to eat fish and I don't even like fish you know it was tasty.

Our meals are kinda high in fat to sometimes. But I have been cutting the "fat" corners so to speak in order for us to eat healthier. I have been trying to nix a lot of fried foods and trying baking or saute in extra virgin olive oil or simply Pam non-stick spray.

I have discovered seasoning makes a big difference as well and it helps one not have to add oil and salt. I use Mrs Dash Seasonings a lot now. They have lots of herbs and other spices besides salts.

I really enjoy watching Rachel. She cracks me up.. cause always making jokes and she has the funniest giggle. It keeps the show from being boring like some of the other cooking shows.

Oh wow.. I think I know what you are talking about reguarding the pressure cooker. It's this device that you can put meats and things in, you place it on the stove, bring it to temperature, and then take it off the burner, then it just continues to cook on it's own and the food does not burn.

There is one on tv that these two women named Carlyn and Marilyn advertise. It's called AirCore, I think. I want that thing SOOOOOOOO bad. But when I saw it about 2 yrs ago it was really expensive. Now is that what you have ? the AirCore ?

I was like, this would save me so much doggone trouble once the baby comes. I could toss a couple of frozen skinless chicken breasts in there, some herb rice, and mixed veggies, and seasonings, and have a meal, plus I could cook a cake on top! Then bring it to temp and just walk away and come back with hot food done..

When I finish typing this, i am going to look it up and see if AirCore is the one from the food network your mom got you. I saw another one though, it's not AirCore, but it's pretty much almost just like it.. pretty neat. But I am getting AirCore because that thing is awesome!

tonight it's a banana, a cup of hot tea and Quaker instant vanilla oatmeal...

oh how I love night watch.

lol coastie poor guy! man get you some stouffer's frozen dinners they are actually good!


We had chicken nuggets and french fries, I really need to go grocery shopping

Oh Coastie you poor poor baby!

Coastie try the Stouffer's Lasagna. It is SO GOOD! And easy to just pop in the microwave. Also get those Lean Cuisine dinners. They are really good. Also I like Noodle Bowls! Yum! Cause Coastie a banana, a cup of tea, and oatmeal for dinner is no way to live.. LOL!

Oh Coast, do you have a Boston Market near you ? If you do, Go to Boston Market. They have some good food. You can choose from Rottisere Chicken, Mashed potatoes and gravy, corn bread, creamed spinach, stuffing, herb red potatoes, string beans, corn, turkey, meat loaf, ham, macaroni and cheese, rice pilaf, and they have salads and soups, and now they have been advertising this chicken cordon bleu dinner.. Plus they have desserts like Hummingbird Cake, Chocolate Cake, Fudge Brownies, Oreo Brownies, Chocolate Chip cookies, Oatmeal cookies, Peanut Butter cookies.

I like Boston Market cause the food is good, tastes like someone cooked it at home, and it's cheap! Since I have been pregnant it's my husband's, mine, and the dog's place to get a hot meal when I don't feel well enough to cook. And yes, we get the dog his own kiddie plate of chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn bread. (I know, he's spoiled to death) LOL!




Missy

Oh my goodness.. Miss Shelby.. bad seafood is awful for a person I hear.. aww man! I hope that doesn't happen again.. UGH!

The Turbo Cooker is cool too! I love that infomercial. I like when the lady makes the cola and cherry cupcakes in it.. they look sooooo tasty! hmm hmmm.. she just took ordinary cake mix but instead of the oil, she put in a can half a can of diet coke.. then she took some canned cherries in sauce and warmed them up and poured the rest of the coke in with that and let it cook down until it was syrupy.. while she did this the cupcakes were cooking in the Turbo cooker. After they were done, she cut one open, put it on a place and spooned the cherries over it.. and boy did it look tasty! LOL!

Miss Shelby, since you are Christian I am sure you celebrated Easter.. what did you make for Easter dinner ? I love when people tell me what they cooked for the holidays.. people make so many wonderful dishes for holidays! So what did you cook up ?

For Passover I made, homemade chicken and vegetable stew, roasted leg of lamb, teriyaki chicken wings, roasted herb and butter potatoes, noodle casserole, and seasoned green beans.

All man it was gooooood..LOL!

Missy

You both sound like wonderful cooks. I'm still learning how to grocery shop! I cook mostly chicken and rice dishes because I seem to be a success at them. Please keep posting your recipies, even the every day ones, because there are those of us out here who don't even know those yet!

I like to grind my own hamburger. "Save-A-Lot" has a bin for "discounted old meat" --- have gotten really good specials, never gotten sick. I get "stew meat" or cheaper meat (roast is good), trim ALL the fat off and use a 19th century grinder. The meat is EXTREMELY lean, but very dry. I do use bread in the meat loaf, but PICKLE JUICE (that you normally throw away) is great, dill OR sweet for varied flavor, also throw in a raw EGG. Meat loaf always turns out great...

Uhmmm, keep the cat or dog away from under the grinder, unless they need a bath anyway...